From Individualist Power Drummer to Supportive Team Player

Peter Lau is a well known Recycler, Mountain-biker, Drummer in the Roger Wang Trio and one of the most innovative Compact Drum Kit Makers ever. Some 15 years ago Roger Wang approached Peter, asking him to drum “quieter”. Peter didn’t settle for simply drumming softer, he came up with a whole new drum kit design that also got substantially smaller. Through the years Peter Lau has created countless incredibly innovative compact drum kit designs. Most, if not all of his drum kits can be carried in one trip from vehicle to venue.

The DIY spirit Peter displays is inspiring. As is the innovative use and re-use of various items incorporated in his creations. Sit back, enjoy and let this collection of Peter Lau’s Innovative Compact Drum Kits inspire your own inner DIY creativity.

 

Click any image for a full size view

Peter Lau's Bass-throne Mini drum kit
Bass-Throne

The ultimate in minimizing the footprint of a drum kit has to be making the bass drum double as the throne. Note the DIY remote bass drum pedal and single headed snare drum. (Left)

 

peter Lau's Sideways mini drum kit
Sideways Pedal

How about the DIY sideways Bass pedal on this one? Every part of the kit is mounted to the bass “drum”. (Right)

 

 

 

 

Peter Lau's Audience-facing beater
Audience-facing beater

Another great idea Peter has come up with is having the beater face the audience, so they can see more of the drumming. Also noteworthy is the shallow snare drum and bass “drum” port. (Left)

 

Peter Lau Mini Drum Set
Triangular bass

A variation of the audience-facing beater, this time with a triangular bass “drum”. (Right)

 

 

Peter Lau's Super -portable drum kit
Downwards Pedal

A couple variations of a super compact drum kit design that tears down into a small pile…

Small Pile
Small pile

…and tucks into the bass drum…

Bass-case
Bass-case

 

Peter Lau's Robot drum kit
Robot drum kit

 

Yet another triangular bass drum but with a new angle on the orientation and a completely unorthodox arrangement altogether.

Compact Duo
Compact Duo

 

A duo of ultra-compact drum kit innovations

Laundry-time
Laundry-time

 

After viewing a few of Peter’s rather unusual configurations, this kit almost looks regular. Note the pedal attachment/spur.

 

 

Built-in stick mini drum kit
Built-in stick

 

One of the “drums” on this one has it’s own built-in drumstick! The little tambourine-like gadget makes a nice hat-substitute.

peter Lau's Boxtail drum kit
Boxtail kit

 

Here we have a “boxtail” drum kit with a DIY remote hi-hat pedal and a tambourine pedal.

Peter Lau's collection of innovative compact drum kits
Collection

 

An entire collection of Peter Lau’s innovative and creative compact drum kits.

 

Peter Lau's Sleek mini drum kit
DIY Hoops

 

Incredibly sleek configuration with a downwards beating pedal.

Peter Lau's Drumshell in a drumshell innovation
Shell-in-a-shell

 

Another variety with a downwards beating pedal and with a drum-shell within a drum-shell design. Note the DIY hoop design that is one of the identifiers of a “Peter Lau Original”.

Ultra-compact Drum kit
Same but not

 

Same concept – smaller size

 

Pray to the drums
Pray to the drums

 

Here’s a slick little floor kneeling set-up. Perfect for praying to the drum gods.

Peter Lau's Triangular bass mini drum kit
Triangular

 

Another angle of the triangular style bass drum with the audience facing beater. Note the bass pedal configuration.

peter Lau's Boxtail drum kit
“Boxtail”

 

Peter has designed numerous “box tail” style kits. Here’s another one with a DIY remote Hi hat stand.

 

Boxtail & remote hats
Boxtail & remote hats

 

Yet another boxtail drum set with remote hi-hats and a set of chimes.

Peter Lau Original drum kit
Note the left pedal

 

Highly unusual drum set design with a foot pedal operated “wood block” of sorts.

Peter Lau gigging
Peter Lau gigging

 

Peter Lau gigging his triangle bass drum, mini drum kit. Here you can see how the beater is visible to the audience.

 

Peter Lau's audience facing beater drum kit
Audience facing

 

The audience facing beater again from a slightly different angle.

Hand held drum kit
Drumtar?

 

Handheld drum kit played kind of like a guitar. Perfect for bringing to a small jam.

DIY Remote bass pedal
Remote bass pedal

 

DIY remote bass pedal operating a drum-in-a-drum.

 

peter Lau's Sewer Pipe Drum Kit
Sewer-pipe drums

 

Made from sewer pipe, this kit sorta’ borrows some aspects from yamaha’s “HipGig”.

Sewer Pipe drum kit by Peter Lau
Sewer Pipe Special

 

Genius use of sewer pipe in super-compact, yet traditional layout drum kit

Sewer pipe variation
Sewer pipe variation

 

Another innovative creation made from sewer pipe. This one a bit less traditional.

 

A Peter Lau original - The "Opposed Pyramids"
“Opposed Pyramids”

 

One of Peter’s most recognized kits, the “Opposed pyramids”. Note the closed mini hats.

Pyramid drum kit
Pyramids

 

The pyramids from the driver’s seat. Aesthetically balanced yet provokingly unorthodox.

Bass drum on top
Bass drum on top

 

The opposite drum kit with the bass drum up top, operated by another DIY remote bass drum pedal, using an automotive clutch cable.

 

 

Snare-in-bass drum
Snare-in-bass

 

The tiny snare drum resides inside the bass drum. This one also operated with a DIY remote bass pedal.

Drums in a drum
Drums in a drum

 

Here the snare and bass drums share a mutual shell.

Peter Lau's slim-style drum kit
Slim-style

 

Slim-style, drum kit with a unique “low-hat” configuration.

 

peter Lau's Sideways Slim-style drum kit
Sideways Slim-style

 

Another slim-style. This time sideways with dual bass drum ports. Ultra compact portability with a full-size bass head.

Sideways drum kit
Sideways drum kit

 

Slim-style sideways of a different variety. Single bass port and dual “heads”.

Sideways Ultra-Compact by Peter Lau
Ultra-compact

 

Here’s a sideways oriented, super-compact drum kit with a box shaped bass drum and a single-headed snare drum

 

Sideways drum kit with the snare drum integrated in the bass drum shell
Snare in bass

 

Not quite as slim, but still sideways. This one features the snare drum integrated in the bass drum shell

Ultra shallow bass drum by Peter Lau
Ultra-thin

 

Thinner than an LCD TV with an audience facing beater and the “low-hat” re-appearing

Thinline bass drum
Thinline

 

Driver’s side view of the “thin line”. Note the quite unusual snare drum set-up.

 

Standup, single-stand, cocktail drum kit by Peter Lau
The “un-cocktail” kit

 

A whole new take on the cocktail drum kit. Stand up like a cocktail kit, but with a sideways configuration and all rigged up on a single stand.

Three Peter Lau drum kits
Peter playing

 

Three of Peter Lau’s creations played by the innovative drummer himself

Micro "bass" drum
Micro “bass” drum

 

Sub-miniature micro-kit with a DIY cocktail “bass” pedal and integrated drum stick

 

Vari pitch cocktail drum kit
Vari-pitch

Last but not least, here’s a “vari-pitch” cocktail kit. Who says effects pedals are just for the guitarist? There seems to be no end to Peter’s creativity. Just when you think all options are exhausted and there are no possible combinations left, somehow Peter comes up with an entirely new concept in compact drum kits. I had a blast putting together this compilation of some of the creations crafted so far and look forward to many more inspiring innovations from Peter Lau in the future.

Peter’s web site: http://www.geocities.ws/laubrothers/

and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/peter.lau.102?fref=ts

 

 

 

Summary
Photo ofPeter Lau
Name
Peter Lau
Website
Job Title
Drummer
Company
Roger Wang Trio
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